Can-body-making machine.



A. JOHNSON. GAN BODY MAKING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ililllll WR? ZE-JzJOrQ A. JOHNSON. GAN BODY MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1h13. 1,101,446. v Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' y' UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

AXEL JonNsoN, OE OAKLAND, eALIEoENIA, AssGNoE ro AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, E sAN FEANoIsco, CALIFORNIA, A cOnPoRA'rIoN or NEW JERSEY.

cANznonY-n'anrne xsomE.

Spcification of Letters tl.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AX-EL JOHNSON, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Oakland, irl the county of Alameda and Stateiof- California, have invented certain neiv and useful Improvements in Can-Body- Making Machines, of which the following is a specification'. i

The hereinafter described invention relates to that class of machines used for the manufacture of what is known as `lap joint can bodies, it relating more particularly to the construction of the clampin'gjaws and the associated mandrels; the means for actuating the clamping jaws to close and open the same during the movement or travel of the rnandrels, and in the stationary gage plate for limiting the folding movement of the can body blank as formed around the mandrel, and for positioning the lap edge of the' can body blank to lieover the -held edge of the said blank as they are carried beyondthe feed mechanism for the can body blanks.

To comprehend the invention, reference shouldV be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, Wherein,-

Figure 1 is a broken plan view of the Qapparatus, illustrating a portion of the frame and the endless carrier, a series of the clamping jaws with associated mandrels, the feed mechanism'for the can body blanks, and the shipper devices or receiving the can bodies from the traveling mandrels. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View disclosing a. series of horns or mandrels, illustrating the manner of truing thec'an body blank after having been rolled around the horn or mandrel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line X`X Fig. 1 of the drawing, disclosing the feed mechanism for the can' body blanks, a blank rolled around the horn or mandrel, the gage plate for the can body blank, and the position ofthe clamp ing jaws' just prior to being closed. Fig. '4 is a detail part sectional end Viewl in elevation, illustrating the shipper device and its application for removing a can body from its horn or mandrel. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the can body shipper.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate any suitable form of a supporting structure or fra-me,- to which the horizontally disposed spaced guide rails 2--2 are secured. Between these guide rails works the endless conveyer,- which eonveyer is com# posed of a se'riesof links 3 hinged together by means of .the vertical pins 3', the said pins having secured to the projecting ends .thereof the rol-ls H', which rolls work within the grooves 5 of thel gui-de rails 2-2', Fig. 3 of the drawings; The said endless conveyer is driven by means of the horizontally disposed drive Wheels 5', arranged at each end of the machine between the curved end portions of the guide rails 2 2', only` one of such drive Wheels being illustrated in the present case, Figs. 1 and 2 o f the drawings. The said drive Wheels 5' have motion imparted thereto by the usual actuating means, which requires. no description for an understanding of the present invention.

Each link 3 of the endless-conveyer', is provided with an outwardly extended bracket 6, to Which bracket the clamping jaws 7-7' are hinged by means of the Vpin 6', to the tail extensions 8 8' of the respective clamping' jaws there are hinged the cranks 9--9', positioned respectively by means of the tension spring 11, and the adjusting sci-eny 10, Fig. 3 of the drawings The section 7 2 thereof may'have a slight inward movement after the associated mandrel or born of the clamping jaws has been carried beyond the can body blank feed mechanism, in order that the lap edge of the can body blank may be depressed after the rolled can body blank has moved from beneath the gage plate, so as to force and hold the lap edge of the blank -rmly down onto the under edge of the rolled can body blank 18.

Each'of the brackets 6 is formed with an ,upwardly projecting arm 13', .to which is secured the horizontally disposed horn or mandrel 14, which is situated Within the cylinder formed by the clamping jaws 7 7', and held so as to leave a clearance space betweenV the parts, When the said clamping jaws are in an open position, as shown, Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The rolls 15, carried by the vlower extend` ing arms of the cra-rik levers 9-9, ride .on the vertical faces of the cam rail 15', which rolls work on the enlarged portion 16 of the cam rail as the clamping jaws are' carried around by theendless conveyor, and act as the means for forcing apart the crank levers Patented June 23, 1914.

9 9. in order to close the clamping jaws 7-7 onto the can body blank 13 rolled onto the horn or mandrel 14. The cam rail 15 commences to gradiially enlarge at a point slightly in'advance of the feed mechanism for the can body blanks, `and the enlarged portion 16. thereof terminates at a point slightly in advance of the stripper 16. for the.can bodies, Fig. 1 of the drawings,fso that tne clamping jaws commence to close as the can body blank 413 is looselyv rolled around the horn or mandrel associated therewith, and remainclosed against the-rolled can body blank untilafter the same hasl been carried beyond the soldering mechanism, not shown, the said Irolls leaving the enlarged portion of the cam'rail as the clamping jaws approaeh the stripping device.-` As the rolls 15 begin to bearagainst the faees of such reducedportion offthe cam rai-l, kthe saine move toward each other andthe Aweight thereof throws thfe' `fcrank levers 9 9' inwardly to`open the clamping jaws. j.

The'caii bodyy blanks 13 are delivered to I the feed rollers 17-117 by meansof the endlesschain blank. 'carrier 18, `'whieh carrier works over the sprocket wheels within the fralnejlS, the overhanging forward portion thereof havingmounted therein the .said feed .rblls'g17i-17. Thesev rolls and ythe sprocket wheels forthe endless body blank carrierarey 'suitablydrivem 'as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

As the can body blanksA pass between 4 the feed ro1ls'17 and 17', the samebea against the underface of ecurveddeflect-orplate 172, which defiects and causes the rolling of the same around v'theholrn or mandrel -14 positioned beneath the feed rolls. r The detlector plate 172 is arrangedin lfrontof the rolls 17 and 17 projecting' outwardly from the supporting i plate 17 3 adjustably mointed within the bracket arms 18.2, the `said supporting plate `beir'ig raised and lowered by means ofthe adjusting screws 18?".` j

Immediately below the'feedroll 17', there is located thefgagevplate 19', whichvpla'te is held within the overhanging portionof the frame 18.and the ysame" is so positioned as tov lie directly uponthe horn or lmandrel 1,4, as the same passes -beneath the feed rolls. As theIl horn or mandrel 14 `travels beneathv the said rolls the' can body blank is looselyT rolled aromi portion 20 of the gage plate 19',l by which time the` outer end or edge portion thereof lwill overlap the knife edge surface of the end gage plate 19,,2whenthe clamping jaws will have partly closed down onto the looselyT rolled can body.,` blank.'k However, as the;

VVVand its associated clamping" jaws' willbe n y the 'same until themforjiwfard` edgethereof engages the E,rear shoulderedA within the clamping aws, prior to the same closing firmly lonto thekloosely rolled can body blank, .each upwardly projecting arm 13 is rovided witha forwardly projecting -extenslon 20', which extension, when the horns ormandrels are in axial alinement, bears against the rear end of the horn or mandrel immediately preceding the mandrel arm to which it kis attached. As one horn or mandrel is having a can body blank rolled thereon, the succeeding horn or mandrel is being carried around the forward drive wheel 3, but by the time the can body blank has been rolled around the horn or mandrel, the succeeding horn or mandrel will have completed its turn and be in axial alinement with the preceding horn v'or mandrel and as brought into such alinement its projecting extension 2 0 is forced against the rear end of such horn or mandrelso as to gradually force the projecting end of the rolled can body blank inwardlyto true the end of the said blank'withitshorn or mandrel. This` will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings .wherein the relative position of a vseries `o horns or mandrels', with their associated clampingjaws is illustrated,

By theftime'the rolled canbody blank has been trued to its horn or mandrel, thesaid horn or mandrel kwill havezbeen carried beyond the feed mechanism for the can body blanks and the associatedl clamping jaws rmlylclosed down ontothe .rolled blank, due tothe rolls 15 being carried onto the 'enlarged portion gf 1e ,of the camrail 15',

which jaws as closed aroundthe horn or mandrel 14 force thelap edge of the rolled can blank down' onto the under edge thereof, thesaid 'lap edge having been'properly positioned by ,means of thevgage plate 19. The clamped ean'f ,body `blank vis the-n Y conveyed togand past theusual solder .applymg mechanism, not-shown, for the soldering of the lap seam toy form the' seemed' can body, the held can bod-y being. then conveyed by the movement of the endless carrier .toward the stripper 16 or mandrel.)l Asthe horn"orinandrel with j for the removal of the can body from its' horn of the rolled, can body .blank l itsI heldfcan kbody approaches, the stripper f 16', which is situated at the forward curved end portlon of the' apparatus, the rolls, l5

ofthe crank levers controlling. the move? ment of the' .clamping 'jews enter` ontothe redn'ced portion orareearriedo of the enlarged portion oftheeem rail y15s'o as to gradually .swing they crank levers, 9 --9.r in; wardly to open the and ielease the soldered can body, so that by the the. held ca/n body reachesfthe stripper 16.',1'the clamping-jaws ."Z-'7 wilLstand :full epemFigsl o the drawings, andthe soldered can body will 'be free to be slippedram the horn or' mandrel 14. As. thesaid'horn er mandrel is: carried, past the vstripper 16', the inwardlyiflanged-.ends 21 thereefengage the forward end of the lsoldered .ca-1i ,body 22, and.- hold the -same.-.against movement, while the endless carrier centinues-its travel. The

langedsends Q1. of the, stripper. .16 lit ,within the longitudinal 'grooves 22 of thesfhern or mandrel, .so that'the said-horn Ormandrel is free to .slip -fromwithin the can .body

thereon. In order that: the stripper 16 .may conform to the directienso'f 4movex'nent .or .the curvedpathof the:horn ormandrellas .swinging .movement being limitedzby; means of the arm 125, the slotted :portion '-14'. of

-wbichits -overthe pin 25 Yprojecting lfrom tbebracket '24. vllheatripper l16" may -be located-atany desired` pointt within the line of :travel of the horns-or mandrels lafter -theyvhave been conveyedzbeyond the locatien-.of .the soldering mechanism, .but pref-A erence 'is Kgiven -to the placing off thesame at-thetforwardzcurved fend portion of the apparatus, .so as :to give the solder applied to the :lap i joint fample time to .cool .prior to the canboliy'being removed 5ft-om its zhorn or-Lmandrel.

Having thus described the apparatus, what .-is claimed asnew and desired to-be protected 'by fLetters Patent is 1. In an apparatus -forthe described purpose, .the ,-cqmbinatien with a supporting frame or structure, of spaced guide rails held thereon, an endless carrier working 0n said guide rails, a series of `rlorming horns or mandrels carried by said. endless carrier,

clamping jaws associated with each horn or mandrel rand supported bythe said carrier, devices for actuating the said jaws to-close and open the same during the travel of the horns or mandrels, mechanism forfeeding and rolling can .body blanks directly onto the forming horns, a gage plate adjacent the feed mechanism, and provided with a shoulder on its inner face for limiting the movement of the can body blanks onto the horns f or mandrels and placing ythe lap edge thereof, and means for removing the formed can body from the traveling horns or mandrels.

2. In an apparatus for the described purpose, the lcombination with a horizont-allyl Adisposed endless `flexible carrier having laterally-extended-arms, Vofa series of forming horns'or mandrels carried thereby, a series ef clamping jaws 1associated withthe horns ormandrels, said clamping jaws being supported and propelled by the endless carrier, means for feeding and rolling can body blanks 'directly onto-the -forming horns, a gage plate projecting over the path of the horns adjacent the said 'feeding means for tbe can body blanks for limitingA the curling" movement thereof around the horns, control- .linges/ leans vfor-closing and o eningthey said olampingfjaws, and. a cam rai .on :which said cntrolling means works-during thetravel 0f theendless carrier.

3. 'In an apparatus fnrthe described pur-` pose, the combination with an endless carrier of a :series of bracketsextended therefrom, la horn-er mandrelcarriedl by each of tbe brackets,clamping jaws hinged toeach ,bracket for Eclamping a A loosely -formedcan bifly blank onto its' horn or mandrel, devices for aenating said clamping'jawsduring the movement-.of Vthe endless carrier,

mechanism ier-delivering can body blanks tothe traveling horns or mandrels androlling the same vdirectly thereon, fand :means 4carried gbyrthehorns or.- mandrels for truing the rolled.canbody blanks asfthe hornsor 'rmandrelsanoye into -axial :alinement -in their approach -.toward the feeding mechanism for thecanfbody blanks.

.4. In anapparatus-,for the described purpose, ,the ,combination with an endless -oarnier of-a series of horns or mandrels -car- 'ried thereby, a seriesof clamping jaws associated with the horns or mandrels` said jaws being y.held to tbe endless carrier, devices ,for .actuating said clamping jaws, .mechanism for-delivering can body blanks to the horns orv mandrels -a-nd rolling the Samerdirectly-thereon, means carried by the horns or mandrels for truing the .loosely rolled can-bodies .as-the horns or mandrels more into axial alinement in their approach toward :the feedin fmechanism, and la de vice arranged wfithm .the -path of the travelthorns :ornnandrels for stripping therefrom the formed :can ibodies.

5. In an apparatus `for the described purpose, lthe combination with a horizontally disposed endless flexible carrier having laterally extended arms of a series of horns or mandrels carried thereby, clamping jaws associated with each horn or mandrel, devices for actating said jaws, mechanism for feeding can body blanks to the horns or mandrels and rolling the lsame directly thereon, and a gageplate adjacent the feeding the feeding and rolling or curling movement of' the can body blank around the horns, substantially `as specified.

7. The combination with an endless carrier having a series of horns and a series of clamping jaws, of rolls for feeding and rolling the`can body blanks directly onto the horns, and a gage plate projecting over the path of the horns adjacentto said feed rolls provided with a shoulder on the face thereof adjacent to the horns for limiting the feeding and rolling or curling movement o1 the can body blank around thel horns, said gage plate having a projecting thin blade for placing and supporting the lap edge of the bodyblank in respect to the inner edge thereof, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with an endless carrierhaving a series of horns land a series of clamping jaws, of rolls for feeding and rolling the can body blanks directly onto the horns, and a gage plate projecting over the path 'of the horns adjacent to said feed rolls provided with a shoulder on the face thereof adjacent to the horns for limiting the feeding and rolling or curling movementv of the can body blank around the horns, and'means for continuously moving said carrier to the horns thereof, substantially as specified. j

9. The combination with an endless carrier having a series of horns and a seriescof clamping jaws, of lrolls for feeding and rolling the can body blanks around the horns, and a gage plate -projecting over the path of the horns adjacent to said feed rolls provided with a shoulderY on the face thereof adjacent to the horns for limiting the feeding and rolling or curling movement of the can body blank around the horns, means for continuously moving said carrier to the horns thereof and meansfor positioning the can bodies longitudinally on the horns before said clamping jaws tightly close around the horns, substantially as specilied.

10. The combination with an endless cary rier having a series of horns and a series of clamplng jaws, of rolls for feeding and .rolling the can body blanks around the horns, and a. gage plate projecting over the path of the horns adjacent to said feed rolls provided with a shoulder on the face thereof adjacent to the horns for limiting the \6 0 ,feeding and rolling can body blanks directly onto'the formin horns and gaging 4the lap edge of the rolle blanks, and clamping jaws associated with each horn or man- Y drel for clamping the rolled can body blanks thereon and maintaining the edges overlapping. Y

12. Ina side seam' can bodyforming machine, the combination with a continuously driven endless carrier, of a` plurality of l forming horns carried thereby, means for feeding and rolling can blanks directly onto the traveling horns and gagingthe lap edge of. the rolled body blanks, clamping jaws associated with each of the horns for clamping the rolled can body blanks' thereon and maintaining the edges overlapping, devices controlling the opening and closing movements of the clamping jaws during the movement of the endless carrier, and means carried by each clamping horn for positioning the rolled can' bodies on the preceding horn before said clamping jaws tightly close around the horns. 4

In testimony whereof IA have signed ymy name to this specificationin` the presence of t'wo subscribing witnesses.

AXEL JonNs'oN.

lvlVitnesses':

G. WEDEMEIER, l D. B. RICHARDS. 

